Found an item? Your responsibilities

What to do when you find someone else's property — your responsibilities and how to return it safely.

Found something in Baton Rouge? Handling it responsibly protects both you and the owner. Rules vary by location, but the principles are consistent.

Make a reasonable effort to find the owner. Check for ID, contact details, or anything that identifies who it belongs to.
Don't assume it's yours to keep. Keeping found property without trying to return it can have legal consequences. When in doubt, hand it in.
Hand valuables to the authorities. Report significant or high-value finds to the police non-emergency line for Baton Rouge; they'll log it and may issue a reference.
Store it safely. Keep the item secure and unchanged while you try to return it.
Post a found listing. Add a found-item listing for Baton Rouge with enough detail for the real owner to identify it — while holding back one verifying detail.

Helpful resources for Baton Rouge

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Baton Rouge

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Found black tote bag with floral scarf

I found this black tote bag this morning around 9:15am outside the Baton Rouge River Center on Convention Street, near the Old State Capitol. It's a medium-sized canvas bag with a long strap, and someone tied a small floral scarf to the handle. On the zipper pull there's a red enamel pin shaped like a guitar, which is a pretty distinctive detail. If this bag belongs to you, I'm happy to return it—message me and we can arrange a quick meetup around the riverfront area or at the River Center entrance.

Baton Rouge 2 months ago

found P

Found keys with blue elephant keychain near River Center

Found a set of keys this afternoon around 3:15pm in the parking lot behind the Baton Rouge River Center on River Road. There’s a bright blue enamel elephant keychain, a dented brass tag engraved 'GRACE', and a Nissan key fob among the bunch. They were resting on the pavement near the bike racks and look a bit weathered from daily use. It’d mean a lot to get them back to the owner, since those keys probably open a home and a car. If this is yours, message me here and we’ll figure out how to reunite them.

Baton Rouge 3 months ago

found A

Blue binder with stamps and coins

I found a blue 3-ring binder filled with stamps and coins this afternoon around 2:15 PM, tucked under a bench outside the Old State Capitol on River Road in Baton Rouge. The binder is blue vinyl, about 9x11 inches, with a faded white label on the spine that reads 'Louisiana Stamp Club.' Inside there are stamp sheets from the 1950s, a few coins including a 1945 nickel and a shiny 1964 quarter, and a bright red bookmark that says 'BR Stamp Club.' There's also a tiny brass coin album keychain clipped to the ring. I know this stuff probably belongs to someone who cares about this hobby, and I’d love to help get it back to its owner.

Baton Rouge 7 months ago

found E

Found small green tree frog in backyard in Baton Rouge.

I found a small green tree frog hopping around in my backyard in Baton Rouge yesterday. It seemed a bit frantic, and I am worried it may have been lost from its home. If anyone is missing their little green buddy, please reach out!

Backyard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States 9 months ago

found J

Found a set of keys with a blue keyring near the park by LSU campus in Baton Rouge.

I found a set of keys attached to a blue keyring while walking my dog in the park by the LSU campus in Baton Rouge. There is a key that looks like it belongs to a car, and another key that has a house-shaped tag on it. I wanted to make sure the owner has a chance to retrieve them, so please reach out if you recognize them!

LSU Campus Park, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States 11 months ago

found J

Found a small tan hamster with a white belly patch in a backyard in Baton Rouge.

I discovered a small, tan hamster while gardening this morning in my backyard in Baton Rouge. It looked a bit confused and was trying to escape through a tiny gap in the fence. The hamster is healthy and very friendly, with a small white patch on its belly. If anyone is missing their pet, please reach out so I can reunite it with its owner!

Backyard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States about 1 year ago